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Movie that went viral for terrible animation becomes China box office hit
A low-budget Chinese animated film, Niu Lai, mocked for its crude animation, has become a surprise box office hit, earning millions after going viral on social media. The film's success has sparked debate over AI-generated content, audience tastes, and the role of cinemas.
A Chinese animated film with rudimentary visuals, a confusing plot, and a budget that some sources put as low as $200 has become a box office sensation after going viral for its apparent flaws. Niu Lai (The Arrival of the Ox), directed by Xin Yumeng and co-created with his mother Sun Lifang, premiered on August 5 and initially sold just over 200 tickets in its first ten days, grossing a little more than 7,000 yuan (US$1,000). But within days, clips of the film's bizarre visuals—snakes resembling spring-loaded strips, grass as yellow blocks labeled “grass,” and leaves as simple spheres—spread across social media, turning its shortcomings into meme-worthy content.
By August 18, Niu Lai had amassed more than 21 million yuan (US$2.9 million), according to the Chinese ticketing platform Maoyan Professional, which projects a total box office of 135 million yuan. The film has since been holding its own against Hollywood blockbusters like The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day, at least in the Chinese market.
The 'So Bad It's Good' Appeal
Why the sudden surge? The film's reputation as 'so bad it's good' has been called "handcrafted" by viewers, a reference not just to its production method but to the fact that it was made over five years using rudimentary 3-D animation tools, with no professional crew, no marketing budget, and no trailer. The director, a former interior designer, and his mother, who wrote the screenplay and sang the ending theme, worked from a home computer, frame by frame. The resulting visuals—which one outlet compared to Rapsittie Kids or early 3D games—have been described as 'stiff and glitchy' by Beijing News, with 'jarring' voice acting.
International audiences caught Niu Lai via pirate handycam recordings, but domestically, curiosity peaked after memes lambasting the film went viral. Screenings, which initially numbered about 21, were increased to 359 within a day, according to one report.
Financial Return
The film's financial success is staggering. While reports vary—some place the budget at about $200, others at €13,000 funded by family savings—Niu Lai has reportedly made 20,000 times its budget, toppling the previous record for profitability. The film's box office trajectory: from 3,420 yuan on debut to over 11 million within three weeks, and by August 18 it had exceeded 21 million, with projections reaching 135 million. For comparison, Spider-Man: Brand New Day made about ten times its budget.
A Sign of the Times: AI Slop vs. Human Imperfection
In an era where AI-generated content is increasingly common, many online viewers have seized on Niu Lai as 'an antidote to AI slop.' Social media users have highlighted its 'handcrafted' method as 'proof that the creators did not use AI,' with one Weibo user writing: "That's some serious craftsmanship." Another called it 'pure handmade' and the biggest 'dark horse' of the summer movie season.
A Friendly Rivalry
The film's success has also been framed as a cultural rebuff to Hollywood dominance, with VICE and other outlets noting that Niu Lai outperformed The Odyssey in the Chinese market. Yet the more sophisticated response is a debate over cinema's drawing power.
The state-run Beijing News has warned cinemas against promoting such films: 'Once again lowered the bar for audiences expected... losing the trust of viewers,' urging cinemas to 'act as gatekeepers for the audience and clearly reject films that are not up to standard.' In that spirit, the film's director has itself withdrawn from cinemas.
Art or Money Machine?
Beyond its box office numbers, Niu Lai has reopened discussions about what audiences and the industry value, from an era of viral disaster to blockbusters. It achieved that rare space in the so-called 'so bad it's good' tradition, a genre that some thought was fading in the age of tech-vetted production.
Its box office run, perhaps temporarily, has revived that style, with spectators paying not to see good cinema but to share in the joke. Whether in China or on online platforms, Niu Lai has proven that sometimes the most profitable film isn't the best, but the most talked about.
How each outlet told it
BBC — World
Framing: Headline focuses on the viral nature and box office hit, emphasizing the irony — Balanced with a touch of humor: uses quote 'you may regret' and describes as 'antidote to AI slop'
Facts Included:
Niu Lai grossed 7,705 yuan ($1,140; £843) in first 10 days
Has now made more than 11.4 million yuan, per Mao Yan
Holding ground against Hollywood blockbusters like The Odyssey and Spider Man: Brand New Day
Quote: 'You may regret for 80 minutes if you watch it, but if you don't, you'll regret it for life'
Social media users hailed movie as antidote to AI slop
Weibo user praised 'hand-crafted' method as proof of no AI
Another user called it 'pure handmade' and 'dark horse'
Some rooted for 'bullish' stock market, mention index at 4,000
Cinemas added screenings due to demand
Weibo account noted 'record is unprecedented and will likely remain so'
Beijing News editorial warned cinemas risk 'losing the trust' and 'lower their standard'
Beijing News described Niu Lai as 'once again lowered the bar' and urged cinemas to 'act as gatekeepers'
Framing: Emphasizes the financial return (20,000 times budget) as the key hook — Admiring and nostalgic: 'hand crafted ugly' and 'this is the kind of ugly that will become tragically rare'
Facts Included:
Niu Lai made by mother-son team, Xin Yumeng and Sun Lifang
Budget of $200
Initially sold only 300 tickets
No marketing budget, cinemas drew their own posters
After a week, box office haul of four million yuan, or 20,000 times budget
Called most profitable movies of all time, toppling Obsession
Plot: timid calf separated from family, encounters dangers, learns bravery
Production quality compared to Rapsittie Kids
International audiences caught it on pirated handycam bootlegs
Framing: Headline frames as 'worst animated movie ever' and box office hit, emphasizing the paradox — Irreverent and nostalgic: 'laughably ugly', 'special, handcrafted kind of bad', 'quaint. It's cozy.'
Facts Included:
Niu Lai is 86-minute animated film about a newborn calf
Went from making roughly 7,700 yuan in first 10 days to more than 14.9 million yuan, according to The Guardian
Made over five years by two people, mother-son duo
No marketing, no trailer, almost no audience
People posted clips recorded in theater, took off
Comparison to ReBoot and Xavier: Renegade Angel
Part of 'so bad it's good' tradition, referencing Mystery Science Theater 3000
In an era of AI-driven badness, Niu Lai is handcrafted bad
Framing: Headline frames Niu Lai as a sensation because it's bad, explicitly linking quality to success — Playful and ironic: 'so bad it's good', 'janky', 'homespun'
Facts Included:
Niu Lai made 20,000 times its budget
Budget estimated between $200 and $500
Made by mother-son duo: Xin Yumeng, 34, directed, and Sun Lifang, both voiced
Made over five years with rudimentary 3-D animation tools
Plot: calf learning to walk, dreams of befriending a young leopard and saving herd from wolves
Earned $1,140 in first ten days, per BBC
Earned 45 million yuan (about $6.7 million) as reported by Maoyan
No official poster, fans and theaters made hand-drawn versions
Two screenings in San Francisco sold out, per San Francisco Chronicle
Ne Zha 2 grossed $2.27 billion, became highest-grossing non-English-language film
Spider-Man: Brand New Day made about ten times its budget for comparison
Not officially released in US, but available on YouTube via theater recordings
Framing: Headline emphasizes 'so bad it's good' and box-office hit, with a broader debate — Analytical and reflective: discusses debate, uses terms like 'resistance' and 'celebration'
Facts Included:
Made by mother-and-son team, Xin Yumeng (former interior designer) and mother (screenplay, theme song)
Budget of about €13,000, funded by family savings
Five years to create 86-minute film
Released on 5 August, flop after 10 days with little more than 7,000 yuan (under €900), just over 200 tickets
No promotional poster, advertising campaign, or trailer
Cinemas drew own posters by hand
Clips circulated online, mocked, led to viral success
By 17 August, earned nearly 18 million yuan (€2.3 million)
Estimates final total could reach 135 million yuan (€17 million)
Outperformed Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, rivalled latest Spider-Man
Pengpai said success showed 'resistance to the assembly-line production of digital capitalism'
Tatler Asia described as 'celebration of human imperfection' against AI content 'devoid of soul'
State-run Beijing News editorial warned of lowered standards and 'loss of public confidence'
Director later withdrew film from cinemas
Rumours of release in Malaysia and Singapore in September
Framing: Emphasizes 'meme magic' and reshaping viewing habits, focusing on cultural impact rather than just box office numbers — Analytical: Uses terms like 'unexpected cultural flashpoint' and 'meme-worthy content' to frame the phenomenon
Facts Included:
Niu Lai premiered in China on August 5
Grossed just over 7,000 yuan (US$1,000) in its first 10 days
Ticket prices averaged 26 yuan (US$3.6)
Crude visuals: snakes resemble spring-loaded strips, grass as yellow blocks labelled 'grass', leaves as simple spheres
By August 18, amassed more than 21 million yuan (US$2.9 million)
Maoyan Professional projects total box office of 135 million yuan
Audience-recorded clips posted online transformed flaws into meme-worthy content
Story: young calf's dreamlike journey to becoming a warrior
Framing: Emphasizes film-goers flocking to a movie they hate, focusing on the paradox of hating yet watching — Neutral but slightly bemused: 'so bad that people flocked to see it'
Facts Included:
August 5 debut earned 3,420 yuan (US$507)
About 10 days later, spike in viewers and six figures revenue
Saturday box office climbed to 717,000 yuan, reached 11 million on Monday
Accumulated earnings placed it in top 10 of domestic animated film box office for year
Criticized for 'rough' and 'broken' style, confusing plot
Oxen characters look like piled up, colourful boxes with weird smiles
Beijing News described animation as 'stiff and glitchy' and voice acting as 'jarring'
Memes online about how bad it was, then curiosity spiked
Screenings increased from 21 to 359 within a day
Made by Xin Yumeng (director, self-taught) and mother Sun Lifang (screenplay, voice acting, ending song)
Took five years, 86-minute film, frame by frame, from home computer, no professional crew
Director Liu Bing wrote about feeling envious as his team aimed for 100,000 yuan, which Niu Lai surpassed in one day
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ClaimNiu Lai was made by director and self-taught filmmaker Xin Yumeng and his mother Sun Lifang, who wrote the screenplay, provided voice acting, and sang the ending credits song.
ClaimDirector Liu Bing wrote about feeling envious as his team aimed for 100,000 yuan in box office for their film, a mark Niu Lai surpassed in one day.
ClaimSome social media users are rooting for Niu Lai because they hope for a 'bullish' stock market, with one writing 'If the index reaches 4,000 tomorrow I will go to the cinema to support this movie.'
ClaimBeijing News warned that cinemas risk 'losing the trust' of viewers if they 'continue to lower their standard' with additional screenings of Niu Lai.
ClaimBeijing News said Niu Lai has 'once again lowered the bar for audiences' expectations of poorly made films' and urged cinemas to 'act as gatekeepers for the audience, and clearly reject films that are obviously not up to standard instead of letting films like Niu Lai run rampant.'